Wash & Go Routine for Low-Porosity, High-Volume, Fine-Textured 4A-4C Coils (WGR85-88)

And, here's your customized hair routine for treating, cleansing, conditioning, and styling your  low porosity, high volume, coarse-textured, Type 4 coily strands:

 

A TWA requires very little to no maintenance. Just make sure that you keep your hair hydrated between wash days.

A SHORT half-inch to 2-inch ‘do can easily be detangled with your fingers. If hair is very short, use palm of your hand to rub in circles to create texture. For slightly longer hair, twist around finger to create curls and coils.

With a MEDIUM 2-inch to 10-inch 'do you can detangle your hair with fingers and follow with a wide tooth comb. You should separate your hair into sections when washing and styling, and only need to use a quarter-sized amount of styling product per section.

A LONG, 10-inch plus, armpit to waist-length locks should be detangled in sections, first with your fingers followed by a wide-tooth comb or a detangling brush. At the minimum you'll need to use two quarter-sized dollops of styling product per section. Make sure to preserve your 'do overnight.

LET'S BEGIN YOUR WASH AND GO

Pre-poo, detangle, wash, condition, and style your hair in sections to make sure that products are applied evenly throughout your hair and to avoid introducing tangles.

 

STEP 1: PRE-POO AND DETANGLE HAIR

Start by separating hair into four sections, then loosely twist or clip each section with hair clips. 

 

Step 1a — Pre-poo:

Once or twice a month pre-poo hair with LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil to nourish and moisturize strands. Apply a small amount onto your hair and scalp, distributing evenly. Massage onto your scalp and leave on for 30 minutes or overnight for maximum benefits. If you do not need to detangle, move to Step 2. If you need to detangle, move to Step 1b.

 

Step 1b — Detangle:

Saturate your hair with warm water. Then apply the LEVEL UP Curl Defining Moisturizing Conditioner. Finger detangle your hair slowly and carefully, section by section, to minimize damage, reduce tangles, and to diminish hair loss. Work from ends to roots. When you’ve completed detangling, rinse thoroughly. Loosely twist or clip each section with a hair clip as you complete it.

 

STEP 2: CLEANSE HAIR

In shower, apply LEVEL UP Curl Defining Moisturizing Shampoo to soaking wet hair section by section. Work from roots to ends to wet hair. Use small stationary, circular movements on scalp to avoid tangling. Massage vigorously for about 30 seconds as the lather builds, then rinse. If your hair has extra buildup, rinse and repeat. Follow with your conditioner.

 

 

STEP 3: CONDITION

Step 3a — Deep conditioning:

After EVERY shampoo, massage LEVEL UP Curl Defining Moisturizing Conditioner into soaking wet hair while showering, ensuring the conditioner is evenly applied. Apply more conditioner to thirsty ends. Place a plastic cap on. Leave in while you wash and shave before rinsing so that the conditioner deeply penetrates the hair shaft. Continue detangling your hair with a wide-tooth comb or a flexible brush made specifically for curly hair to detangle your hair slowly and carefully, section by section, to minimize damage, reduce tangles, and to diminish hair loss. Work from ends to roots. Rinse completely out with warm water to keep cuticles open and to prevent product buildup. Move to Step 3b.

 

Pro tip: For even deeper conditioning, cover the hair in a plastic cap to retain moisture while sitting under the dryer for 30 minutes, then rinse.

 

Step 3b — Leave-in conditioning:

For extra moisture retention, especially on your ends, rinse the LEVEL UP Curl Defining Moisturizing Conditioner lightly from your hair with warm water to keep cuticles open; you can even add more after rinsing. (This is the L in the LCO method that you will complete in Step 4.) While still in the shower divide hair into smaller sections and loosely twist each section with hair clips. Place a plastic cap over hair to keep hair warm and well-saturated until you are ready to complete styling. Now your strands are primed for styling.

 

STEP 4: STYLE HAIR using the LCO Method to cocktail layers

Section by section layer stylers using Steps 4a through 4c. The key to getting a good set is to coax your curls into clumping. This is easier to achieve on soaking wet hair. For super defined curls part hair into smaller sections if you did not do so in Step 3b. To help the product penetrate the shaft rather than coat it, regularly re-wet sections by spritzing or misting on warm water while layering on product. Use enough product to get definition, but not so much that you weigh strands down or leave excess residue.

 

— Step 4a: Define

To define and lightly hold curls emulsify one or two quarter-sized dollops (a little goes a long way) of IDENTITY SHIFT Curl Defining Flaxseed Gel-Cream (This is the C in the LCO method.) to define and lightly hold curls. Start at the ends, then work your way up. Note: over-saturating your roots may weigh your strands down. Clump curls using your preferred curl definition and styling technique (praying-hands, shingling, finger-raking, or Denman-brushing, etc.).

— Step 4b: Seal

Apply a thin layer of LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil (This is the O in the LCO method) to your strands to ensure that the moisture remains near the hair shaft and to act as a protective layer to prevent losing the moisture to the atmosphere.

— Step 4c: Hold 

For hold with volume apply a generous amount of NO WEIGH, BAE Curl Defining Mousse from roots to ends. Gently scrunch hair with your hands from the ends, lifting toward the roots, and allow hair to air dry.

 

OR

 

For a stronger hold apply HIGH-KEY JELLY Curl Defining Strong Hold Gel. Start at the ends, then work your way up to mid-shaft. Note: over-saturating your roots may weigh your strands down. Clump curls using your preferred curl definition and styling technique (praying-hands, shingling, finger-raking, or Denman-brushing, etc.).

  

Step 4d: Dry / Set

Ensure the set of your wash and go by air-drying, diffusing, heat-drying using a hooded dryer, plopping, or banding your hair.

— Diffuse: Attach the diffuser to the nozzle of your blow dryer. Set the temperature setting on low. Firstly, hold the diffuser near your scalp to dry the roots. Next, gently scoop small sections of hair starting at the ends into the diffuser, allowing the natural curls to set. Work up to the root gently scrunching your hair and hold. Hold each section in place for several seconds before moving onto the next section. Continue until your hair is dry. This will help your hair to curl in a way that is voluminous instead of weighed down.

 

— Plop: To set and speed up drying time lay a T-shirt towel on a flat surface and lean forward so your hair falls in front of your face, allowing it to pile on top of itself into the towel. Tie the sides of the towel so that it remains securely on your head. 

 

— Band: Section hair into medium-sized, workable sections as appropriated for the length and density of your hair. Create more sections for thicker or shorter hair. Using hair ties wrap twice around the base of your section. Move your fingers down about an inch and wrap the band around the hair at that section. Continue wrapping the hair tie around the length of the section as you work your way down from the root to the ends of the section. Several hair ties may be required depending on the length of your hair. To cut down drying time blot any extra product from your sections. Repeat until all your sections have been banded. Allow hair to air dry thoroughly before removing the ponytail holders. Note: The closer you wrap the hair tie along the length of the hair the more your hair will stretch and the less of your initial curl pattern will remain at the end of the banding process.

 

STEP 5: MAINTAIN and EXTEND

 

5a: Nightly maintenance:

To get the maximum stretch from your style, prep your hair for the next day with one of these overnight methods:

— Pin Curl: To pin curl, loosely roll your hair under with your fingers in large sections and pin it down. This helps you maintain the shape of your hair and avoids the straight sections that occur using the pineapple method. 

 

— Pineapple: Lean forward so that your hair falls in front of your face. Gather and secure hair into a very high and loose ponytail using a scrunchie or fabric covered hair tie to prevent hair breakage or hair dents. Next, standing in an upright position proceed to separate the loose ponytail so that half is on each side of your head. Wrap your head in a silk or satin scarf, or use a silk or satin pillowcase to help protect your hair from the effects of friction throughout the night.

 

— Multi-pineapples: For short hair too short to pull into a single pineapple on top of your head, create 2 or 3 mini pineapples. Finish by wrapping your head in a silk or satin scarf or use a silk or satin pillowcase to prevent friction. Use a silk bonnet for hair too short for multi-pineapples.

 

— Scarf Pineapple: Fold a silk or satin scarf into a triangle. With the scarf in your hand, lean forward so your hair falls in front of your face. To create a loose turban around your curls place the triangular-shaped scarf at the nape of your neck. Then pull the sides up towards the front of your head, and tie them in a knot. Next, pull the excess length towards your nape, and tie them in a knot.

 

 

5b: Next-day styling and daily maintenance: 

Next-day styling: 

No gel cast: If you don’t have a gel cast, then take your hair down and fluff. If your hair is too shrunken, use a hand drier to stretch the hair. If your hair looks too frizzy, consider separating the curls further to achieve a more voluminous look. Alternatively, pull your hair into a messy top bun or hair puffs. Finish by warming a few drops of LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil between your palms, then apply to your hair, concentrating on your ends for frizz control and shine.

 

With a gel cast: If you do have a gel cast, then take your hair down and scrunch out the crunch. Warm a few drops of LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil between your palms and lightly scrunch your hair upward to break the cast. Then, lightly pick out your roots. If your hair is too shrunken, use a hand drier to stretch the hair. If your hair looks too frizzy, consider separating the curls further to achieve a more voluminous look. Alternatively, pull your hair into a messy top bun or hair puffs. Finally, add a more few drops of LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil between your palms, then apply to your hair, concentrating on your ends for frizz control and shine.

 

For high volume hair make sure that you don’t touch your curls after this point. Manipulate your hair as little as possible while separating the curls to keep your curls clumped together and to reduce overall frizz. To create more volume lightly pick out your roots.

 

Daily maintenance:

Spray POWER TO THE CURL Curl Primer Conditioning Spray onto your strands to put some life back into your curls. Spot treat lifeless curls as to not disrupt your curls too much. Depending on the weather, revive the shape and bounce of your second and third-day curls by misting POWER TO THE CURL Curl Primer Conditioning Spray to strands to re-activate the stylers in your hair. Then reapply LOCK IT IN Curl Nourishing Hair Oil to seal in the moisture and reduce any frizz.